Spoken Fears
by RedZinnia
Summary: "And then in the middle of such a vast and lively current, he felt it. An empty void of nothingness that made his skin crawl... His senses deep within that sphere he could feel the malignant force he had been looking for. That wicked aura that was uniquely hers." Itachi/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** The only thing I own from Naruto are a Zetsu, an Itachi and a Kakashi plushie... That's it lol the rest belongs to the wonderful Masashi Kishimito. I do own the plot, Hisa, and any other OC that makes part of this story.

**The Healer's Chakra**

An ample veil of darkness draped smoothly through each and every direction the young man happened to look in. His footing wasn't steady as even the thick roots that seemed to be so common in the soil beneath him, and that on a clear night he was sure he could see, were obscured by the absence of light. Slowly his carmine eyes took a moment to look upwards, beyond the canopy of the lush tees and towards the heavenly body garnished with a quarter moon. In any other forest, it would have been more than enough to light his path. However, setting his eyes back on the dull route in front of him, the Sharingan user had long deduced that the paucity of light was not Mother Nature's doing.

An irksome rush of adrenaline widened his eyes as an unmistakable dry expulsion of air shook his thin frame. His knees buckled under the crushing fit and a desperate arm sought stability from the nearest tree. The grand old trunk was sufficient, granting the ailing Uchiha much needed support. A fine stream of blood flowed out of his lips to be swallowed by the darkness beneath him. Another powerful fit and his nails practically dug into the core of his only source of balance. He could feel the routine clawing feeling through his lungs, deliberately picking at his sore throat and exhausting his ability to breathe properly. The sense of vulnerability was putrid.

Itachi could feel his spine shiver as the burst subsided. With little time to spare, he opened his cloak and reached for one of the inside pockets where he carried a plastic container with water. He was already accustomed to the burning feeling provided by the warm liquid pouring down his throat, but it was the only thing he found to help ward off another sudden bout. Placing the bottle back, the frail man spat out the metallic taste enveloping his mouth and that his tongue just refused to get used to.

Closing his eyes, the missing nin sighed both from exhaustion and to test out the state of his air passages. Everything was as close to normal as they were going to get that night, and it was with that he decided that now more than ever he needed to have this problem fixed.

Patiently the shinobi used his highly sensitive chakra to feel out the life of the forest. Everything seemed to be one giant river, flowing with precise steadiness along any given path. The sleeping animals each had a signature, along with the different type of trees, the animals that used this as their active time, each bug, each flower, to the tiniest speck of dirt had a palpable trace of chakra that gave it life. And then in the middle of such a vast and lively current, he felt it. An empty void of nothingness that made his skin crawl... His senses deep within that sphere he could feel the malignant force he had been looking for. That wicked aura that was uniquely hers.

With a clear path in mind, Itachi sped through the night being guided solely by the flow of nature around him. His heart pounded away as he inched closer to his destination, until he felt his body enter the abominable globule. Within seconds he opened his eyes to a blinding light and his body was quick to turn away from the source, his arms diligently protecting his precious dojutsu.

"You can see it?" A curious voice echoed nearby.

Itachi lowered his eyes to the ground as the source seemed to be coming from above. "What is this light?"

For a moment she was silent and the light seemed to weaken around him. "Please release your eye technique or I will not be responsible for damages caused by the light."

Reluctantly he accepted, reminding himself that she was recommended by a trusted source. The light was quick to dissipate into an eerie glow on a tree branch four feet above him. His normal field of vision was pathetic at best and so the details of the woman whom he had come to see would have to remain a mystery. However even through the blurry fog that plagued his eyes, the heavenly blue hair softly draped over the striking white kimono the healer wore, were hard to miss. She sat against the trunk, one foot playfully dangling over the thick branch, her gaze focused on the sky.

"Hisa-san I presume?"

"Yes?" His presence still didn't seem to be important as her gaze remained steady on its original target.

"Will you please take me to Kiyo-san?"

"I'm sorry but she's been dead for years," the healer reported nonchalantly. "I was her apprentice and can help you in her stead."

His brows furrowed at the announcement. She was also named as a relevant therapist, but Itachi had really been hoping to see her master. "My name is Uchiha Itachi," he called out, "and I'm here looking for your services."

It seemed his name was enough to gain her attention, as the eldest Uchiha could make out her head turning towards his direction. "An Uchiha huh?" She pondered out loud. "Are you here because you're having problems with your vision?"

The shinobi wasn't very fond of surprises and this was the second one in a matter of only minutes. How did she know about the Uchiha clan and their vision problems? The curiosity was palpable as he asked. "Have you treated members of my clan before?"

Slowly the healer shook her head. "Kiyo-san did and I assisted a few times. A rare occurrence though," she divulged. "By the fact that you could see the white light surrounding me, I guess you walk around with your Sharingan active. Your normal vision must be dreadful."

It was a miniscule setback compared to his other physical ailment, but Itachi made a mental note for future reference. If she could be his one stop medic, he would be more than grateful. "I'm here for another affliction," he informed.

"I see."

"I've been sick for years now, with an undiagnosed condition, and I was told you could help."

"Hmm so that was you coughing?"

With a simple nod he confirmed to her something he would kill anyone else for knowing.

"I can't help you today honestly," the healer disclosed returning her gaze towards the moon lit heavens, "it's kind of late for that. But I can find you tomorrow, take a look and possibly diagnose you. Would that be OK?"

Itachi was aware of how late it was, sometime past midnight, and as much as he would have wanted her to treat him there and then, he knew the chances were slim. He had asked for three days to take care of personal matters, and had two and a half left which sounded like more than enough.

"Sure, will I find you here again?"

Her arm extended towards the sky, but his vision was too defective to see the purpose. "I'll be in town. It's small so finding you shouldn't be such a tedious job."

"What time?"

"Don't worry about it, just go about your day normally."

The sudden movement of her arm caught his eyes but Itachi still was unable to come up with a suitable explanation. "Please try to be early then." Be it his decision, they would be working at the crack of dawn.

Hisa lowered her arm. "I'll do my best Uchiha-san."

Turning away the missing nin found himself once more instinctively shielding his precious eyes.

"The light didn't go anywhere Uchiha-san, please refrain from using your dojutsu until you're at least six to eight feet away with your back fully turned. You have such a beautiful and rare gift, I would hate to be the cause of one less Sharingan in this world."

Swiftly his onyx eyes returned and once more Uchiha Itachi found himself surrounded by darkness. What a strange and annoying creature this woman was!

Gently Hisa watched as her orders were followed and her guest disappeared along the picturesque matte forest, before closing her eyes and returning to sleep.

**Authors Note**: So hard to find a good Itachi/OC I decided to make my own. Since forever now I've been dying to make an Akatsuki story where the lead wasn't kidnapped (you think the guys would be tired of doing that so much lol) or infiltrating the organization for a mission, but it was just a bit hard. Finally after playing the Beta for Guild Wars 2, and watching both XXXHolic and Natsume Yuujinchou something sparked and I got this really cool and wicked plot. So yeah it'll be kind of a spooky plot, definitely with some supernatural elements, however all within the Naruto world borders.

I intend to make this story rather long (maybe 20 chapters) and since it'll be very focused on the emotional development between Itachi and Hisa, don't expect the fluff and lemons to kick in for a good while lol Itachi is just too emotionally withdrawn for me to just throw him out there like that. I just ask you guys to be patient and enjoy the ride :)

Now being that I have another story (Perfectly Imperfect People) that I'm happily working on, I posted this chapter to see if there's enough interest here for me to work on both stories. I have an outline of 6 chapters so far so I want to see if you guys want to continue reading?

Yes? No? Suggestions are always welcomed :)

Hopefully til next time dolls!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Unrestricted Gambling**_

"Will you look at that, the tea stalk is floating upright!" Wise hazel eyes marbled at the contents inside a vintage porcelain cup. "That means you'll have good luck paying you a visit soon."

His fingers gently wrapped around the container, and the missing nin did his best impression of what his smiled used to look like. For years now he had been coming to this same shop to be served by the same tired looking grandmother figure, to sit in the same corner with the out of place window that (by the looks of it) had never been washed. She always smiled with the same fervor, pointing out anything she could just to start a conversation. But Itachi was obdurate in his endless quest for taciturn solitude, which only permitted him to nod and try to smile. Nevertheless Midori-san always welcomed him with the same zeal, and Itachi found himself enjoying her eager attempts, as it had become the only bakery shop he ever visited in Takumi village.

Placing some bills on the wooden counter that still smelled of lemon cleaning solution, Itachi bowed lightly, requesting her to keep the generous leftover change.

"Ahh," a familiar toothy grin made her tender eyes disappear underneath wrinkled skin. "Maybe it's my lucky day for serving the tea!"

_That sounds more likely._

It was well in to the morning and through the dirt and grime of the oval window next to him, Itachi could see the bustling city already settled in their morning routine. The majority of the citizens being old fashioned blacksmiths, gave rise to warm cloud like patches of smoke from their respective shops, that due to their high numbers gave the village an early evening glow throughout the day, as the sunlight battled to reach the cobblestone floors. Itachi enjoyed such a peculiar sight, even though his visits had always been brief and far apart. The cold winds driven from Suna on a daily basis, made for stale and chronically brumal weather, which was a particularly hazardous combination that induced his worst coughing fits. He had almost declined when given the offer to go meet another doctor... However Zetsu had promised that it was **that** opportunity which they had been talking about all those months ago.

His illness wasn't a complete secret around the organization, as hard as he tried to keep it just that. It had only taken Kisame a couple of weeks to figure out his partner wasn't in the best shape, but out of respect, the shark man never questioned Itachi about it. At times he would make references to a herbal tea or vitamins he had learned were good. "_You know, for those allergies._" It was almost comical how Kisame liked to normalize his partners symptoms by grouping them together with an affliction that produced signs that didn't even slightly resembled the ones he had.

Konan and Pein had attempted to get the best underground doctors, however after two unsuccessful attempts to rid him of his illness, Itachi had given up to minimize the chances of more people finding out. Once more his respect won him two more un-interfering allies. Lastly Zetsu, as the resourceful spy who was heavily trusted by his leaders, was the one to offer the most help, with the smallest interaction.

"_I know this wonderful healer,_" the black half had disclosed on their first and only conversation concerning the subject."_She hasn't met a patient she hasn't diagnosed in her 50 years of practice and I know her personally so I can recommend her with all the faith in the world._" It had been a bold claim, but Itachi remembered feeling a hint of hope. "_And she has an apprentice,_" the white half added more vigorously, as if to emphasize that he would be in the hands of **two** exceptional healers. "_She's been trained from a young age to hone her natural healing talents, and Kiyo-sama says that despite her young age, Hisa-san will be the one to surpass her_."

The two ladies sounded like legendary figures that should have been famous enough for him to have heard about them more often. Zetsu didn't bother explaining the lack of popularity, instead opting to simply inform him when they caught any news of her location. It had been eight long months and Itachi admitted, he could go on days and not even think of that conversation, however just yesterday as him and his partner made their way back to Ame, Zetsu had tracked him to deliver the good news.

"_Hisa is in Takumi,_" the white half disclosed quietly as Kisame hunted for some fished in a nearby river bank. "_Look around the edges of the village where the town meets the forest. The area should be darker than usual, and there will be little to no light filtering through the trees_." They were peculiar directions indeed. "_You'll have to keep walking until you feel a strange chakra... It's pretty hard to describe... Almost like what the opposite of normal chakra feels like..._"

A legendary medic with over 50 years of flawless experience, an apprentice with enough talent to surpass her instructor and a unique anti-chakra flow? Even if to satisfy his growing curiosity, Itachi felt he just **had** to meet them.

{2}

A steadier flow of customers made their way in to the shop and soon Itachi found himself loosely surrounded by mostly civilians. As much as Akatsuki was recognized as a group of criminals, in towns such as this one where a lot of their Shinobis harbored a hatred for the Five Great Nations due to past troubles, his presence and that of other mercenaries were actually welcomed. No one stared or ran away, there were no gossip to be heard. It was quite easy to fit in.

Tiredly the dark haired shinobi looked down at his tea cup. With his second refill there had been another perfectly upright stalk which Midori-san boasted was a sure sign that he would have good luck that day. He had nodded once more, however upon reaching his seat, Itachi chose to blow the stalk out of its lucky position. It was already eight in the morning and if that silly superstition had any truth to it, his medic would have been here at least an hour ago.

"Good, you're drinking green tea. That should alleviate at least some part of your problem."

He noted a bandaged arm as it placed a ceramic cup across from him and Itachi looked up to be greeted by a surprisingly buoyant grin. It took him a moment to register the figure, but as the white kimono settled more peacefully in front of him, he had a good impression of who it was. "Good morning Hisa-san." The garment was not completely white as his poor vision had led him to believe yesterday, but had a soft pattern of Lisianthus flowers, their pink color specially standing out against the faded green that adorned the hem of her fluttering sleeves and obi.

"Good morning."

The difference between yesterday and today extended well beyond her dress. Even with such poor vision Itachi was certain her hair was a sky blue rather than the navy color that draped beyond her bust and rested just past her waist. Her left eye was bandaged neatly along with her right arm, and as perfect as both looked he noted an emerging yellow tint that denoted long term usage. The delicate gold bracelet around her bandaged arm released a small chime as the two lotus flowers hanging from it gently touched. She sipped on her tea peacefully, the magenta eyes he had seen earlier hidden behind bare lids.

"I hope that this is early enough for you," she smiled setting down her cup. Hisa could proudly attest to not being an early bird. It had been months since she last used her night hours for sleep, as being an underground medic, everyone she treated wanted their sessions done when the rest of the world sought slumber. Doing it for so long had almost made it a habit for the renowned healer, nevertheless she did enjoy the few times she had the opportunity to sleep like a normal person.

Itachi usually began his days even before the sun completed its transition on to the sky. His reasoning went beyond habit, and had more to do with his uncooperative body. "This time is fine."

She nodded and they both focused their gaze on something to keep their eyes from meeting. Her shimmering cerise iris settled on the dirty window and her disapproving frown was quick to show. Itachi sighed closing his eyes and inhaling the tempting green tea aroma. It went past the obvious physical transformation of her hair color overnight and the transition from pale skin to a healthier creamy tone.

His Sharingan was very well active and he could clearly see her without that disturbing light.

Truly had it not been for her strange chakra signature (which seemed to be the only thing unaltered) he wouldn't have been able to recognize her.

{2}

It was a small room that offered just the basic necessities and nothing more. Clean wooden walls without a single picture, a vanity table with an aged mirror that was surprisingly well kept for its condition, a single window covered by maroon panels that matched the bed sheets, and for some reason a single chair with no outstanding feature. There was no particular scent that made the room unique and even the light that made it through the curtains seemed to be staler than normal.

Itachi gestured to a chair, silently offering it to his guest, as he used his bed as a proxy for an examination table. Taking a seat, Hisa pulled out a medium sized scroll, customary to travelers. As expected, she pulled out a myrtle green colored bag, which Itachi was sure contained plenty of other storing scrolls where she held her medicine and other valuables. Hisa went straight to business, pulling out a notebook and opening it to a blank page. "Age?" She questioned smoothly jotting down some immediate observations. A rose colored eye bravely met the unyielding carmine gaze of her patient, his stern eyes speaking volumes about how redundant he thought the question was.

The healer sighed, her focus back on the page. "Some illnesses have a higher probability of showing up in specific age brackets, and so this will help me narrow down you illness more accurately."

_Keyword_: **Accurate**.

"21."

Itachi had concluded that it was a profile as she continued to write notes, long after such a simple answer. By the time they spoke again half the page was already covered in thick paragraphs. "Blood type?"

His eyes shifted back to the paper. "AB."

It seemed to be the last thing she needed before getting to the actual problem. "So tell me what exactly is bothering you?"

He had described it so many times to a handful of different people, just the Sharingan user could never feel at ease with the process of freely divulging such a formidable weakness. But he was promised this healer was different, and if this had to be the last time he had to speak to anyone about his dilemma, he would be more than consoled.

"I often find myself sick," he began evenly, "fevers, long coughing fits and blood during those bouts."

It seemed as if he had more to say, and Hisa was a bit surprised when the silence extended well beyond a simple pause. Itachi felt it was sufficient information, and Hisa wasted no time in writing down her notes.

"Do you have night sweats that don't let you sleep?" At least the vague description was enough to point out what part of the body seemed to be the root of the problem.

"Yes."

Tapping the butt of the pen against the notebook, Hisa really wished he would be a tad bit more detailed. The healer took note that the rumors of the silent Uchiha clan slayer followed Itachi for a reason.

"Have you lost weight since you've had this problem?"

"Yes."

The azure haired woman looked up from her paper.

"A substantial amount," he elaborated. And that was as much as he planned to let her know on that matter.

"How long ago did your problem start?"

"Five years ago."

"Five years ago that you noticed there was a problem, or five years ago that the symptoms got bad enough and you started seeking medical assistance?"

"The latter."

_Anything to get out of answering with a complete sentence, eh?_

"You get diagnosed with asthma a lot huh?" Hisa knew she was not going to get an answer to that. "I would greatly appreciate if you would let me do a physical examination."

Her patient didn't move. "I just need you to take off your coat and lift up your shirt. The problem is in your lungs and I'm pretty sure I can diagnose it within the next five minutes."

The slight lift of his eyebrow went unnoticed by the healer, but it was there. Such a confident guarantee had never been made by any previous doctor and Itachi felt it had gone from surprise to amusing curiosity very quickly.

If she could pull it off, he would never doubt that woman as long as he lived.

_**Authors Note:**_ Chapter 2! I have to say it took a while to write, but I'm happy it came out the way it did and the length.

Last chapter, he mentioned that he's been afflicted with the illness for only a bit over a year, but I corrected that in this chapter (and will go back to fix chapter one) because after some research, I think it wold be more fitting if Itachi had this illness for more years than that.

Thank you everyone who read and added this story to their alert/favorites! Special thanks to Windwolf1988 for your review, I hope this is to your liking. XguiltyxGiggglesx03 thank you soooo much for the review. And I am seriously having a blast with our never ending rants lol this is definitely for you!

Semi nudy Itachi next chapter yay! Review if you want it out quicke :)

Thank you for reading and til next time dolls!


	3. Chapter 3

**October Perfume**

A bitter chill settled in the wooden alcove as the remnants of the stale sun shied away from the doctor and her patient. The blue vapor seeping from her left hand flickered noticeably, picking up pace as she tried to increase the doses, before finally surrendering with a sharp electric jolt. Hisa sighed gently, the now familiar event bothering her less than it once did. Later in the day she would curse and wriggle in pain, but at the moment she had a patient to diagnose and the pain didn't seem as bad anymore. With a seasoned familiarity the azure haired healer transferred more chakra to her un-badanged arm, the cooling sensation sending more chills under her Spring inspired kimono.

His silence was almost uncomfortable, and had it been another person, Hisa would have been pretty sure he had given in to the relaxing chakra therapy. A serene blanket masked away his normally apathetic expression, the tranquil mood digging far down to his exposed body. Every muscle was as still as the surface of a riverbank, his ivory skin not even reacting to the sudden change in temperature.

For a man so frail looking, upon closer inspection, a tone physique was still rather visible. To him it might have been a poor excuse for a body considering how he had chiseled his every muscle back in his _prime, _however for a person to be sick for so long and still manage to be so fit just boggled Hisa. Not that she was complaining. She had already made a diagnosis within the first three minutes, and confirmed it within thirty seconds later. The last-minute and a half she had simply used to indulge herself with such a rare and welcomed sight, while doing a generous check away from his lungs to make sure nothing else was being affected.

Scarlet eyes rang louder than any alarm or instinct, and Hisa had no doubt in her mind that her alloted five minutes were up. It was a promise she had made to every patient, but this was the first time one had made her honor her contract on the dot. The blue cloud evaporated silently and her back straightened, giving Itachi a chance to sit up freely. Picking up the nearby pen and paper, the medic went to work on writing down her observations while Itachi patiently dressed himself.

"You have Eosinophilic Pneumonia that is now causing Pulmonary Fibrosis."

It was a mouthful even for an experienced doctor such as herself and having only said it a handful of time over the course of her lifetime wasn't exactly helpful in allowing her to master the difficult pronunciation. He didn't even flinch, and she wasn't aware of whether it had to do with a lack of understanding or if he was simply that good at keeping up appearances. Hisa didn't expect him to cry (like all her previous patients had at hearing such a painful diagnosis) but at least some type of concern seemed to be the _**normal**_ reaction of _**normal**_ humans. "I guess to put it simply, parasites have colonized your lungs and they're now causing scar tissues to form."

"Is it treatable?" He had no need to show any concern. In the end, the answer to that question was all he needed to know.

She sighed pushing her silk bangs over her bandaged eye. "I'll be honest in that I've only treated it a handful of times, five tops. This is an extremely rare ailment and how you've managed to acquire it is beyond me."

His tranquil voice flowed once more. "Can you treat it?" Itachi didn't care how rare or painful the damn thing was, he just wanted to know if he would live long enough to see his goal through.

"You don't understand," she laughed, disbelief coating every decibel. It wasn't every day one ran into medical wonders such as this. "You shouldn't even be alive Uchiha-san, you have so many parasites in your lungs you should have been dead years ago." She sat back against the hard, cushion-less chair. "Is there a cure? Yes. Will you live long enough to make a complete recovery? Well if you made it this far, I guess you're closer to the 38% survival rate than anyone I've treated."

And 38% was good enough for him. "When can I start treatment"

"Whenever you would like."

As much as Hisa was curious to study such a unique man, the nagging voice in her head echoed with the thought that it would be a daunting task that would yield very little results. He was in worse condition than any of the patience she had ever treated. His lungs were already beginning to form scar tissues, something not seen in any other person she had worked on. Then of course there was the fact that he had waited years before getting a proper diagnosis, causing more damage to his lungs than she had ever seen. Hisa couldn't hold him accountable for that thought. So many underground doctors could have given him a proper diagnosis, but most likely pushed him to buy expensive drugs instead as it would reap the biggest profit. Those were the same doctors with the mind-set that he was going to die soon anyhow. The same mind-set that she needed to distance herself from at this very moment.

Kiyo-san had taught her better than that.

"As soon as possible, now even."

The thin wooden chair groaned as she tipped it back to balance on the two back legs. "That's fine with me. Now I've used three methods before and they're all built around how much time a patient wants to spend on the recovery."

Itachi already had a general idea of how long he wanted to spend on this treatment, and was very aware that even for a medic of her stature it might still be an impossible task. Nevertheless he didn't care if she couldn't do it exactly within his time frame, as long as it was quick and efficient. "I would like this to be done as fast as possible."

_I would expect nothing else from you of all people. _"That would be a full lung transplant, which at this point seems to be what you really need. There is a three-week recovery time in which you will be on strict bed rest and constant observation. After that then we can _**slowly**_ start you back on physical training." Her emphasis on _**slowly**_ didn't go unnoticed. "When I see you're well enough to stand on your own two feet then I'll leave you with a stock of medicine, all which can be refilled by any doctor."

His stern eyes remained rigid, to Hisa's surprise. The healer frowned. _Surely he cannot expect a recovery time shorter than this. I'm a medic not a magician._

It would be the ideal solution quite honestly, even falling between his elected time frame. However lungs were not general stocks simply acquired at any local hospital. He would have to go hunting for the coveted organs which could take weeks maybe even months (searching through the black market was very well counted for).

"And only one lung?"

"That would be like giving the parasites you already have a new home," she pointed out to his chagrin. He was aware of that, but as a doctor she had a duty to tell him if she could work with that. "It's about the same recovery time except I would have to stay an extra month or two to kill the pests in the damaged lung."

An internal sigh was all he could muster and Itachi wasn't at all pleased with the current direction of the conversation. "And my last option?"

Carefully the two wooden legs were back on solid ground as the healer readied to divulge her last option. The clouds had darkened beyond their pale cream color, giving away to a more dominant somber gray. It would rain soon and the fact that there was now a faint scent of late October perfume in the normally unscented room, told her that better than any spoken words.

"We do it the old fashion way, chakra therapy, diet and medicine to strengthen your immune system." Hisa didn't even attempt to smile as she had to her last patient. Uchiha Itachi, she had gut feeling, wouldn't be pleased with this method either. "Four months minimum of intensive therapy," the healer added defeating his upcoming question.

As expected the Uchiha prodigy wasn't fond of any of the stated options. The last one seemed almost appealing, with no recovery time to hinder his work, however he couldn't overlook the pronounced flaw that made him turn away from even considering the idea. Itachi would either have to drag her around for missions for four months which was as good as blatantly advertising his illness or take some time away from the organization which would severely compromise his information gathering. Neither which he could afford to do.

"Is there any way to at least hold off the illness?" His voice was as even as a silk mantle on a tabletop. The man was the most adaptive creature she had ever seen.

"Based on the fact that most doctors treat your condition like asthma, I'm guessing you're already on steroid capsules and antibiotics." Which upon closer inspection was probably one of the reasons he was still alive at this very moment. It wasn't a cure, but the antibiotics would at least keep the infection from escalating while the steroids strengthen his lungs. "If we up the doses it should ease the problem, and keep you alive for another year or two." Her shoulders jerked in a shrugging motion. "But then again you're a walking miracle. That strong will and better medicine could probably beat the odds even more."

The older Shinobi had ardently hoped that a diagnosis would be the quickest route to a cure. "Thank you for your time." But he would have to remain on the same beaten path he had used thus far. Strong will and medicine.

And that was that.

The clouds bellowed as the sky was darkened into a deeper shade of silver. Briefly her serene gaze peeked through the curtains outside and a glimpse of a preparing town warned her that this was no simple storm. Today she would have to find shelter in a lodge.

"How much will the charges be?"

His hands were already deep inside his pocket when she smiled that same toothy grin that Midori-san would give him on cold winter days when she would add an extra slice of loaf cake to his order because in her eyes, butter loaf cake warmed the soul.

"I'll just take these." She strolled over the wooden vanity table and picked up his prescription bottles, all of which were practically drained. "And you can have these instead." From her bag she pulled out two dark glass bottles and a medium-sized jar. "The honey should be added to your tea and take a spoonful ever day to alleviate the coughing."

"I will still owe you for the medicine," he noted.

"Ah, just seeing an Uchiha again brought back some good memories. I think that's good enough payment." Her soft laughter was lost under a roll of thunder that crackled nearby. "Plus I just diagnosed you, and I don't really charge for that."

Once more his interest to know more about her relations to the Uchiha clan was perked and Itachi felt the nagging curiosity just itching to be spoken. But once more the secluded young man would bite his tongue.

"I thank you then."

He had gotten a diagnosis. Finally. And after closing the door and paying his respects to the remarkable healer, with a simple bow, Itachi returned to his bed a lightness in his chest like he hadn't felt in a very long time. He could rejoice in the knowledge hat his unwavering devotion to his younger brother was the sole reason he had transcended his expiration date, and it would be the sole reason he would make it until the realization of his goal. Uchiha Itachi no longer had a doubt about that. Tonight he hoped to sleep a little longer thanks to that genius doctor who glowed with strange light and who called forth such a unique chakra. Yes, he had a new-found respect for the navy haired woman who could do in five minutes what no doctor could carry out in so many years.

It was with great zeal he hoped their paths would cross again.

**Authors Note:** Back to school means longer waiting periods for chapters, sorry guys!

Thank you xGuiltyxGigglesx03 for always being awesome and reviewing. We need another ranting session!

Stormthief 8 thank you for taking the time to look at this story as well, I really appreciate it and I hope it was to your liking :)

CreatorOfWorlds thank you also for taking the time to read my work and for the tip, it was noted and I hope this one came out a little lighter :) On that note I would just like to ask any Itachi lover out there to check out her story "Here, As On A Darkling Plain". It is a masterpiece to say the least! Very short chapters but the writing style, the images that you'll picture are so vivid and just the way she portrays Itachi is just breathtaking. I really recommend it to any Itachi lovers who just enjoys reading or likes writing about him, as this is a trip through his childhood that could be very useful when it comes to helping the development of Itachi as a character. Oh and don't forget to leave her a review! The last thing I want is for this story to go away because of a lack of reviews.

Lastly thank you everyone who read and/or added this story to their alerts and/or favorites!


	4. Chapter 4

**Mental Note: Trust No One**

Droplets of rain had been falling evenly for the past few days, and a time when the town could enjoy the bits of sunlight that poured through the thick clouds seemed like a far away memory. It wasn't her intention to have stayed two extra days, but a rare chance to earn a months worth of salary presented itself like a well needed gift and the renowned healer made it her duty to earn every coin. It was a simple case of a targeted millionaire who had ingested a hearty dose of poison, and while Hisa worked on retrieving the cause of his affliction, he had the best Shinobi in town to find the culprit. A bit of experience and a lot of time spent in the luxurious household pointed all fingers towards the wife. Hisa could easily rid him of the poison, but blindness due to love was something not even Kiyo-san could cure.

It was on the last day of her stay when the coldest winds from Suna swept through the narrow street ways, chilling the trees down to their very core and effectively making people prioritize their need to leave the comfort of their own homes. She could have stayed wrapped in the warmth of the thick cotton sheets and heavy wool blankets, pampering her soul with the finest tea leafs while her body sank on the cloud like softness that was the mattress. All services provided by her wealthy patient during her stay, but as soon as the last ounce of poison was extracted, she was paid for her work and sent packing. Ingrates.

She walked the solemn streets, her body visibly weakening under the dreadful weather. Her wallet was bursting with joy, and it took every ounce of self-restraint to keep herself from splurging on a cashmere-wool blended coat with the amber stone like buttons and sleek double-breasted design. It put her little potato sack (heavy cotton jacket) to shame and Hisa could not for the life of her remember when was the last time she had closed her eyes to the price and just picked something physically appealing as well as practical. But common sense and responsibilities hollered loudly in her ears, leaving the young woman to only grimace as she passed the dainty boutique.

_There's only so far a girl my age can suppress her fashion urges..._

Instead her thin legs carried her further into the main street, her carmine eyes focusing solely on the wet cobblestones as she edited the mental list of supplies she needed to buy with her new earnings. _Bandages... Specimen jars... Some alcohol... Maybe a trip to the herb stores_... Her sigh manifested in the form of a thin white cloud. Hisa bit down on her dry lips, and she moved on to separating a budget for motel stays for the rest of the month, food, a new pair of shoes, and then if there was anything else left ( which was highly doubtful... Medicine alone was a wallet killer) she could think about a coat. Still she remained optimistic that she would get good enough paying jobs as she headed-

The impact was swift knocking the healer right off if her elongated train of thought. No real pain radiated through the point of contact, and Hisa simply massaged her shoulder as a nervous gesture. The gentleness of the collision told her that the victim was also female. "I'm really sorry, I was rather distracted. Are you OK?"

A delicate finger adjusted a lovely paper rose, so well made in fact that Hisa could have sworn it was radiating with perfume. "I'm fine." Her wording was even, not bothered yet not exactly friendly. "I was actually looking for you Hisa-san. My name is Konan, do you have a moment?"

_Lucky coincidence or outright stalking? _Either way, the doctor had no time for another patient. She had already overstayed her allotted time in the village and made enough money to have the luxury of turning down a customer or two. Even if it put her further away from that lovely cashmere-wool coat. "I'm really sorry but I'm done taking patients in this town," she smiled nervously. "I was actually on my way out."

The strange girl gently persisted, her stoic expression giving no room to falter. "I have no need for treatment, but would like to speak to you about a proposal. It will be quick, I promise not to take too much out of your time."

A rather brisk wind easily broke through her pathetic excuse for layers and Hisa visibly shivered quietly envying the unaffected lilac haired woman who had the luxury of wearing what seemed to be a sturdy and in some ways lovely coat... With very bright, familiar clouds. _I see_. "I think I can make some room for a little visit to the bakery not too far from here."

Konan nodded, and Hisa followed the demure lilac haired Akatsuki.

It was hard not to think about the last person who she had seen with that unique garment, and as a doctor the first thought to wash over her were not exactly positive ones. Maybe he was sending her because his condition had taken a turn for the worst... Did the honey she gifted him spur an allergic reaction? Was he dead?

[4]

The scent of warm apricot and coconut tea floated through the stone walls, carefully moving by each table in a gentle dance to ward off the piercing cold that seemed hellbent on settling in. Every new customer brought with them the desire to make the atmosphere flourish with a new scent, as they fondly called out their beloved tea flavor, the one that stood above all others, and could hit just the right spots.

"I come to you on behalf of Akatsuki, more precisely the Leader, Pein." It was obvious the woman was here on business, and Hisa had no doubt in her mind that it would be a brief encounter. There was only one reason Konan would even mention the organization that sent her and Hisa wasn't interested. She was a wandering doctor and her services were only for temporary hire. Nevertheless, the azure haired Cloud native appreciated the warm meeting place and would enjoy each drop of her caramel green tea. She would let the woman speak to her heart's content and have enough room to report to her master that she tried her best to recruit the healer, but in the end the answer was a simple _thanks but no thanks._

"We've needed a healer for a while," she continued, the cup in front of her undisturbed since being set on the silk mantle atop the mahogany table. "Our last medic left years ago, and so all the members have been reduced to using complete strangers that most of the times don't have their patients best intentions, which can result in major problems."

As an underground medic Hisa was more than aware of those type of scammers that passed as doctors and who gave talented healers such as herself a terrible name.

"Sometimes we do have a member who can in some way use his skills for medical purposes, but being missing nins they're more inclined to use the power to harm each other rather than actually help... I think you know where I'm going with this."

Faintly through such an even tone, Hisa could detect a hint of amusement from her companion and their minds drifted to similar entertaining thoughts of criminals acting more like children. The doctor was less strict on her facial control, as the thought of even the stoic Itachi letting loose made for a small grin. "You want me to join as a healer."

"Yes." A gentle hand approached the ceramic glass, only to wrap her fingers around it. "A trusted member recommended you for this position and we take their word very seriously." Her exposed magenta eye swirled with curiosity, and Konan was quick to put her mind at ease. "Both sides of Zetsu think very highly of you. They spoke very meticulously about your work, your professionalism, and of course your exceptional talents."

_Zetsu_...

"They also encouraged me to pass on this message. _We will protect you from them, and not even spirits will bother you here, we promise_."

Her bandaged arm throbbed at the thought of her last encounter with _them_. It had been her first one since Kiyo-san died, her first time truly fighting alone, and she had to almost sacrifice a whole arm just to get away. A truly shameful display that made it more than clear that her strength was pathetic at best. Kiyo-san would have been beyond the realms of disappointment in her only pupil and the thought weighted the petite figure down each time she saw the bandages.

"They were vague in what exactly that message entailed, but seemed confident you would understand."

Indeed the message was very clear. _Even Zetsu must have a lack of confidence in my ability to travel alone._

"You say Zetsu is part of your organization?"

A simple nod. "Yes, he's been with us for years now and is very respected among all our members." Except for Hidan who didn't appreciate the nakedness of the plant duo when they split.

"I see."

"You would have all housing accommodations taken care off, supplies are abundant and of course you have a monthly budget for restocking or whatever type of shopping you might need." The cooling ceramic cup was finally brought to her lips and she took a quick sip of her simple, sugarless green tea.

"Like the rest of our members you will be paid for each job you do, however unlike them you won't really have the need to take part in missions to earn your pay. That will be optional if you think healing the members isn't leaving you enough money. You are also allowed to work on any nearby customer as long as you are not taking time away from someone in the organization who needs you."

It wasn't so much that she _didn't _trust the woman across the table from her, as more as it was that she _couldn't _trust her. The deal just sounded a little too perfect.

The networks of hunters who specialized in tracking people like Hisa down had evolved with the blessing of every single church in the world and expanded with the backing of every major government. Their tools had become more sophisticated, their training enabled them to break through her barriers like a sharp scissor slicing through paper, and even the ninjas who hunted her were far from the brutes described in Kiyo-San's youth stories. They were craftier, quieter and hiding in plain sight.

"I would like to speak to Zetsu before I make any decision."

Hisa and Zetsu had traveled across the world since her childhood and anyone who did their homework would know this. Even if she hadn't seen the plant duo in a couple of years, playing the Zetsu card wouldn't be a smart move from her pursuers. There was no way they could replicate the Zetsu she knew and loved, and even if they managed to capture their looks, personalities, talking mannerisms, chakra signature, or even their quirky habits, they would never replicate memories.

And if she was who she said she was, if Konan truly proposed the above contract with the support of her long time friend, then she could bring the authentic Zetsu without a problem.

"If that is all you need to accept the proposition then I can take you to him without a problem."

_Strike one_

"I will be in town until 5 in the afternoon. No matter where he is, he should be able to travel here in those four hours. They know I'm punctual, and before the clock hits 5:01 I will be out those gates and on my way to my next destination."

"I see then. He did warn me to be choosy with my vocabulary, as certain words can make you think I am a hunter. I can assure I am not, and as requested, Zetsu will be here at the right time. I also trust he should know how to find you."

"Yes."

"Then I will take my leave and hope to see you tomorrow in our base."

Her image disintegrated into white paper flower petals, in a spectacle best described as lovely. Never in her life had Hisa witnessed such a peculiar jutsu, and along with the only other customer in the shop, her eye widened in awe like a curious infant. It was but a second before the beautiful display floated through the doors and into the somber, frosty streets.

**Authors Note:** Thank you everyone for reading and of course my ranting buddy xGuiltyXGigglesx03 for always being awesome and reviewing! I hope you liked that little Hidan moment ;P

It's a short, sweet chapter that has lots of big HINTS, HINTS about Hisa :) No Itachi but he will be here next chapter!

Please read and review!


	5. Chapter 5

When Spring Comes

The masterful gates of Takumi village were a striking sight to see even on bleak, cold autumn days. It was erected with only the finest materials, the beautiful palladium branches with their rose-gold leaves were crafted by the most skilled artisans and appreciated by anyone it opened to welcome or closed to protect. By this grandiose work of art, Hisa waited patiently, the promise of seeing an old time friend being the only incentive she needed to withstand the small droplets that accompanied the frigid winds.

Calculated amounts of chakra spread through her arm like plant roots feeding in the spring. It carried enough heat to keep her small hand from going numb and the grip on the umbrella steady against the unpredictable wind. Hisa sighed, tentatively twirling the battered rain shield before another strong gust of wind materialized. It was only a matter of minutes before the allotted hours expired and the time honored chime from the church bell rang 5 times. If it was indeed Zetsu, he would be there soon enough... And the medic was _really, really _hoping it was Zetsu.

One look at her bandaged arm and the cringe in her mind seemed to echo louder than necessary. Anyone other than Zetsu meant certain death for her...

A plethora of Spring fragrances were a fitting harbinger for her favorite plant duo's arrival. Her mauve eye closed and a quick trip down to a lovely country side field was due. The vernal season was far from settling in, but there they were surrounded by pansies, roses, and even carnations. The shades were exquisite under the flourishing lemon groves and waking up to a ripe lemon falling on her head was a fine alarm.

"Ah you haven't grown at all." The laid back voice pulled her away from that lovely Spring memory, but the healer decided not to hold a grudge. Tonight she would dream about blooming flowers in a remote shack somewhere in Cloud village, but now, well now she had a dream come true right in front of her.

"Genetics were never my forte but considering my parents were both under 5'4 I didn't think I was going to go much beyond my 5'1 peak," she shrugged. "Plus if I got any taller you would never let me ride on your shoulders again if we went back to the Spring Festival in Saluma Village."

"Are you underestimating our strength?" A hint of humor twirled in the white half's honey eye.

Hisa made some room on the damp bench and the duo was happy to fill it. "Not in the slightest."

Saluma village in Rice Field Country was small farming area very famous for their rice wine. The small town was even more famous for their Autumn harvesting season in which they celebrated with an extravagant carnival that drew hundreds of worldwide visitors, to thank their locals and their outside neighbors for their hard work producing or buying. Such recognition had dwarfed the acknowledgment of Saluma, another smaller village with no outstanding achievements to the outside world, just sitting idly in the south of Honey country not being recognized by more than 98% of the worlds population. Every Spring they held a modest festival with the hundred or so locals they had, decorated the curving slopes that made up their streets with home made paper lanterns and flew kites until the sun embraced the humble plaza signaling the populace to meet by the centerpiece of the square where about 6 tables would be set up with a home made dinner prepared by the wives.

Kiyo-san had taken care of patients there all her life, making the exhausting trip down at least once every season to help the one or two general doctors that practiced there. In the Spring the indisputable time that she would be showing up was definitely during the Spring festival, and it was the only time she didn't have to work hard to convince Hisa or Zetsu to tag along.

The young healer smiled, the grip on the shaft of her umbrella finally loosening enough for it to land on the floor with a soft splash. There was a much better use for her hands, and she put all her strength into accommodating as much of the plant duo as she could into her inadequate arms. She hugged them for the lessons they had taught her that she had put to use, the walnut balls she ate in memory of their shared love for the treat, the paranoia infused sleepless nights, the daydreaming journeys that wouldn't let her do her job... But most of all, she hugged them because in those two years she had missed them very, very much.

Their grip was no less effective in translating the exact same feeling towards her, and had it been any other occasion she would have felt suffocated by their overwhelming strength.

"Unlike me, you've actually gotten big," she laughed wiping away a rebellious tear. "The plant part looks like it's eating you now."

Finally the black half was comfortable enough to join in. "This is probably our limit."

Gently she pulled back. "Well that's a relief."

Hisa returned to her original position and watched with warm enthusiasm as they unanimously closed their respective eye, simply enjoying the increasing tempo of the rain. "When we heard about the miracle healer making her rounds again, we thought for sure it was Kiyo-San." White Zetsu opened his eye just enough to allow a drop or two to whimsically splash around his eyelid.

His other half was as usual, a bit more composed. "We were too embarrassed to go anywhere near even when we learned it was you and not Kiyo-san."

That embarrassment made it clear that there was a solemn understanding between all of them. "You heard about the hunter incident huh?"

The pair nodded. "I'm really sorry we weren't there."

"Not to worry, her right eye was already used and she held her own against them."

"They got her arm though!" The darker half mourned.

As much as she wanted it to be a simpler topic, the azure haired medic had a feeling it would be far from that. "She sacrificed it to summon a demon," she corrected. "it was her own decision."

The plant man still didn't seem pleased. They should have been there to protect their master, that was their duty. "We should have still been there," the light half lamented. Guilt was a powerful emotion.

"She never held it against you," Hisa informed warmly, "she always talked about you and hoped you were doing OK, and even looked forward to the day you would visit." At this rate it was going to be a crying fest and Hisa was winning by a long shot.

"How is she doing?" Kiyo-San always babied the darker half. He was her rebellious child and as much as he hated letting his walls down, he was sure to do it to get any information on her well being.

However this was the moment Hisa had dreaded for so long. Last time Zetsu had seen the older medic, she was retiring, only traveling for pleasure and to keep Hisa some company. While her presence faded from the social circles in the underground world, Hisa began to make her name known. And almost as if to symbolize that Hisa was strong enough to stand on her own two feet and take on the world, Kiyo-san passed away after her protégé performed the hardest task she could face in her field of work; successfully rehabilitating a patient with Eosinophilic Pneumonia. "She died two years ago." Tentatively she let her magenta eye wander to the duo who she noticed didn't seem that shaken, almost as if they knew. "It was old age really, and she died happy to have lived the life she did."

Both halves looked down but a tiny smile still emerged. "It was almost like I knew but didn't want to admit it," the softer voice of the white half disclosed. "Still I'm happy she didn't hold a grudge against us and that she died peacefully."

"One day I'll take you to her grave and you can wrap it in flowers just like she let you do to her hair."

They both smiled quietly, a bittersweet atmosphere embracing each individual. For Hisa it was re-living her mother figures death and for Zetsu it was living it for the first time.

[5]

The trip back to Rain Country had been less taxing than any trip he remembered taking in a very long time. From the first try of the water honey solution, the eldest Uchiha had taken a liking to the sweet and simple medicine. His throat had thanked him almost instantly, smoothly accepting anything he swallowed with only minimal discomfort. The cough suppressant left him a tad bit drowsy and the antibiotics smelled like a blooming garden of Carrions in the summer. It was certainly not the worst thing he had ever experienced in his young life, but he wouldn't wish those pills on his worst enemies.

Still he made it to his destination in the proper time of 10 hours, with a short rest to honor his only strenuous coughing fit since leaving the healer. Leader had no missions available for him upon arrival, only asking his partner and him to be on standby for a couple of hours in case Hidan and Kakuzu couldn't make it to their next destination. It was the perfect time for Itachi to spend some time meditating in his room, the generous time between his coughing fits finally allowing the young genius a couple of hours of pure concentration.

The zombie duo reported within the 24 hour time frame that they had made it to their destination, leaving Kisame and Itachi free to move on to theirs. The coveted base in the land of Grass.

Another half a day or so of traveling and the pair arrived safely in one of the only forests in Grass country where their oldest base was hidden. It was strategically located near the five great nations as well as their leaders base in Ame, and had the best defensive seals to keep outsiders from coming near. Tales of the haunted forest also greatly helped keep away outsiders.

There were no lamps to guide their path down the well kept dirt road, but the magnetic pull of the illusion seal that kept the majestic house from standing out, was more than enough for the Akatsuki members to find their way. They stepped into the modest clearing and the shark man couldn't even hold back an amused chuckle. Uneven patches of moss and broken ivy contrasted the even covering that had dressed the stone walls the last time they had spent some time there. The fact that Konan was outside so late in the night simply confirmed Kisame's amusing thought.

"The artist duo couldn't decide on which style suited the house again?" He mused approaching his higher up.

Konan sighed, cupping her chin as she examined the damage. "They fight over every styling of every single base. Soon this one is going to go the way of the house we had in River Country. " It had been her favorite spot and til this day, the thought of her treasured wooden alcove reduced to smithereens was a painful memory. Nevertheless she would have Pein take care of those two. "I need to speak to you both," she disclosed taking the liberty to open the back door for them. " I have some interesting news."

And with such an appetizing bait, how could they not follow. Never had Konan described anything as even remotely close to interesting, and Kisame was beside himself taking a seat on the strange purple kitchen table.

She started without delay. "As much as Leader and myself have tried our best to keep Itachi's medical problems a secret from the rest of the organization, we also can't help but notice no improvements in your condition."

The main subject of the conversation was not pleased, and showed an uncharacteristically visible frown. Itachi hated being the centerpiece of any conversation. Specifically when it came to his health.

She continued unfazed. "Being that you two have the toughest tailed beast to capture we want for you to be in your best health or at least better than what you are now."

He hated the moment. He _really_ hated the subject. And he_ really really_ hated Konan for not knowing when to stay out of his damn business!

"We found a healer," she disclosed evenly. Running around in circles would only irritate her group member, and the last thing she needed was an angry Uchiha. She understood his need for privacy, but sometimes she just wanted to slap the sensitivity out of the guy. She was doing all this for him after all. "She's going to be treating the group when needed but on her down time Itachi will be her main patient."

Itachi's fingers pressed hard against his knee. They better have a pretty good cover story for why _**he **_was stuck with a nurse.

"She's new and fighting is not her priority, so it makes more sense if we temporarily break up our strongest duo to balance things out. Kisame you will now be working alongside Zetsu until further notice.

A toothy grin by the shark man gave way for a more relaxed atmosphere. _There's a cover story for ya Itachi. _"Not a problem."

"I'll be honest in that I don't know how good she is in the battlefield, but I'm sure Itachi alone can handle that." He chair glided on the wooden floor as the lilac haired beauty prepared to take her leave. "Still I suggest you familiarize yourself with her strengths and weaknesses."

Oh he more than planned to. The last thing he needed was dead weight to carry around.

"Oh yes, please feel free to introduce yourselves to her. She should be setting up in Orochimaru's old room." A hint of a smile molded on her pale features. "I'm actually glad that the first people she gets to meet are the sanest. Have a good evening."

Konan walked out closing the door firmly behind her, leaving the pair to silently communicate around the unique purple kitchen table.

Kisame placed his enormous sword against a chair, and broke into a toothy grin acknowledging his partners unchanged, stoic expression. "Wanna come down and be good neighbors with me?" Maybe it was the length of time they had to spend together on a daily basis. but the shark man could tell Itachi's altering moods by the amusingly paltry expressions that he just could not train his body to hold back. A split second of tightened lips and that was as close to a tantrum as he would ever throw.

Still he refused to say a word as he calmly led the way to the basement.

**Authors note:** Missed me? I hope you did cus I missed all of you! Let's just hope I don't have so much work piled on me ever again and this delay never happens again. A million times sorry my lovelies 3

Nevertheless I would like to thank each and every one of you who read and thank you very very very much to my lovelies Guilty, Ikkona and Haipa-chan for taking the time to review! It was greatly appreciated and definitely one of the reasons I decided to update this story first :)

Any questions or concerns, please feel free to message or review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Like a Good Neighbor**

The basement itself was a separate part of the house, specifically built by Orochimaru to distant himself from the world for days or weeks as he saw fit. Parts of the kitchen had been well kept and the offending fumes from strange experiments performed there no longer lingered as one crossed through. And just like the kitchen the bathroom as well as the bedroom were only decently kept by the grace of Konan who happened to be a neat freak. Still even she could only stay down there for so long before chills began to make her uncomfortable and her desire to clean had yet to be outweighed by the eerie atmosphere that haunted the space.

A familiar darkness engulfed them on their short trip, and a sudden stream of rich light on the floor led them exactly to the door they needed. With a simple rhythmical knock, Kisame announced his presence and was acknowledged promptly by a voice that rang familiar in the Uchiha's ears.

His suspicions were quickly confirmed as the shark man opened the door to release a bolt of light that didn't seem to effect him as he delivered his jolliest welcome. "Well hello there princess."

An uncharacteristic annoyed grimace lingered but a fraction of a second before Itachi proceeded to follow the instructions given to him on their first encounter. Kisame nodded as his partner deactivated his dojutsu, and the act of politeness was quite a surprise to Samehada's wielder.

_There she is again with the same light hair color and light pink eye_.

"Itachi Uchiha," he bowed just slight enough to count as formality. "Pleased to meet you."

She knew patient confidentiality was essential in her line of work and to the rest of the world, this was the first time they had ever met. "Hisa," she stated simply. "Very nice to meet you Uchiha-San."

"Hoshigaki Kisame, at your service."

The newest member of Akatsuki returned the shark mans enthusiastic smile, making a quick mental note of how much she was already craving examining such a specimen. Whether he was not human or simply under a jutsu, such a unique appearance was new to her and Hisa just had to make a journal for future reference. For the moment though, she would tend to her guests both of whom at the moment gifted her with polar opposite expressions. "Uhh do either of you need any treatment at the moment?"

The friendlier of the duo spoke up first. "Not at moment, but I look forward to needing treatment some day."

Hisa found him darling specially for such an intimidating looking person. "Well I'll finish setting up for when that time comes."

"I need a change of bandages," the Uchiha prodigy announced.

She had yet to unpack those, but from the old supplies she had taken out of the storage room she thought she had a seen a box marked as bandages. "I think I saw a couple, you will have to give me a minute."

Kisame who was versed in Itachi's subtle cues could already tell his presence was no longer welcomed there. A shame really, as the shark man was looking forward to interacting with a somewhat normal human being. "I'll be grabbing dinner before heading to bed. Good night to the both of you."

"Konan brought a couple of bags that should be cold by now, but you're more than welcomed to heat it up and help yourself."

_Normal_. The word made him laugh upon second thought. "I see, thank you Hisa-San." She could be as cheery and adorable as she wanted to be, but normal people didn't make it in the Akatsuki Organization, and the thought of their new nurse being a sadistic serial killer entertained him all the way to the main kitchen.

The tired wooden door had barely closed before Hisa found herself digging through the nearest pile of boxes for one with a bright orange stain that had almost erased the identifying classification.

"I don't actually need bandages."

Her back straightened and the medic hadn't realized just how much she wanted to hear those words. "That's good to hear, I don't actually know how old those things were or if they were even of any use."

"How did you get into the organization?"

Even without his Sharingan active, Uchiha Itachi had no intentions of losing his already established persona.

The medic would have to get used to it and the thought that she would have to interact with _him_ the most was becoming more of a frightening reality. "I was sponsored if you will, by Zetsu who was looking for a trustworthy person to fill in the medic position that had been vacant for some time."

"I see."

"I'll be able to treat you now that I'm here," she continued almost hesitantly. As much as she thought their new proximity would make things easier, such a complicated illness was still monstrous task to tackle. "You'll just have to give me a couple of days to get settled and unpack everything."

The Uchiha prodigy was also aware of the lengthy treatment, however unlike his new nurse, Itachi preferred to begin treatment as soon as possible. The earlier they started the faster he could return to his normal duties. "What exactly do you need?"

From Hisa's perspective it sounded as if her patient was offering assistance, and the thought both surprised and scared her. Anxiously she picked at the threads from the aging bandage on her arm as she decided exactly what she needed to do. It was a pretty long list and if all the boxes surrounding her were any indication, the task would take several days. "I need to unpack my things first and foremost to see what I'll be needing from there."

Upon entering (and after deactivating his dojutsu to be able to actually see anything) Itachi had noted that half her scrolls had already been unpacked and she had been doing inventory on the materials she had.

"If you can wait just a couple of minutes and get me the bottles I previously gave you, I can switch you to a higher doses tonight. I'll be unpacking that scroll next, and I guess that should help you at least get started." It was really just to give her patient some of comfort, as one night of higher doses wasn't going to change anything.

Opening his coat, Itachi did as he was told retrieving the bottles previously gifted to him and placed them at the edge of the table where it would make it easier for her not to confuse them with her inventory.

"It's extremely dirty so you can just sit on the chair for the moment," the turquoise haired newcomer noted as she caught his eyes on the horribly unbecoming patient table.

Even through his foggy vision, Itachi had no intentions on going anywhere near that bed and gladly took the alternative seat. Quietly he watched her work.

"How did the medicine work?" Hisa queried trying to make conversation.

"Good," came the simply reply. "The honey is particularly helpful."

Her hand stopped and the number of calcium supplements was erased from the top of her head, quickly being replaced with surprise and joy that the normally stoic Uchiha had taken the time to comment further. A bubbly smile was suppressed as Hisa decided to go along with it. After all she didn't know when would be the next time he found himself so _chatty_. "It's a special mix from Honey country that's widely used for medicinal purpose," she informed. "Taste good too according to most of my clients, but I can't stand the damn thing. Too sweet."

He grunted in response and she was not sure if it was to agree or disagree. The fact that he liked it made her believe the latter.

They sat quietly for a couple of minutes until he couldn't help himself with the question. "That light," he stated, and he didn't feel the need to speak further as she knew where he was going with the simple bait.

"I need it to survive," she explained smoothly.

"It's partially made out of Chakra'" he noted and she nodded a confirmation, still busy with her stocks.

He watched her empty another scroll and a whole set of bottles were neatly lined on her desk again. For a couple of days Itachi had wondered if the coveted nurse was even human, never actually hearing or seeing such a jutsu used before.

"Why am I the only one who can see it?"

This time Hisa took a moment from her notebook and looked directly at her patient. It was amusing how curious he was and she guessed it was the most she would ever hear out of him. "Only people with an active dojutsu can see it," she stated. "I'm not exactly sure why myself, but normal people only seem to notice the change caused by the chakra which lightens my skin, eye and hair. I'll warn you though," her back was now to her guest once more as she decided the brunt of her explanation had passed. "If you feel my chakra signature coming nearby and the sun has set deactivate your jutsu. I'm not sure how much damage it can cause and I don't want to be responsible for it either."

He hated being so curious specially with what he still considered a complete stranger. However Itachi just couldn't help himself with those questions, staying true to his genius nature, he was still fascinated by things he couldn't understand. For tonight though he would remain quiet, holding back his remaining and newly emerging questions, to try and decipher as much as he could about the mysterious woman from observations.

[6]

Itachi went downstairs the next morning after waiting for Hisa to come up and at least eat something. It was already past noon and Kisame had parted to meet with his new temporary partner earlier that morning. Itachi wasn't in the best mood and the harshness of his knock was one clear sign. If she was going to be his God damned medic she better take the job seriously.

The response was a tired invitation to come in, separately coming out in between yawns.

Lightly he pushed the wooden door from its inadequate lock, only making enough space for his thin frame to pass through. Promptly his eyes darted to the figure on the far corner of the room who quickly got up to greet her patient properly, and Itachi had to admit he was a bit taken aback by the vision that greeted him.

Instead of her Kimono (which even he had to admit was quite lovely and nostalgic) she was wearing an oversized white short sleeved shirt with splashes of gold thrown about randomly and a simple pair of jeans. Her hair was steady in a high ponytail, and even though her bangs were still loose, he could see a good portion of the wrapping around her eyes more clearly. The bandages looked much cleaner, as if she had changed then recently along with the one on her right arm.

Once more he couldn't help be curious as to why a medic would walk around with two obvious injuries.

He noted that she had been buried in books, and so her greeting was delayed. "Good morning Itachi-san, do you need anything?"

Greeting aside, the nurse decided to return to a small stool that practically put her at floor level.

"Are you going to have breakfast?" Even odder still, she was only working with her un-bandaged arm.

"I had some fruits not too long go, so that's breakfast for me," she laughed throwing a book to the pile near the desk."The guy who had this room before sure had a lot of stuff."

He wasn't sure if the statement was for him, as it was barely above a whisper but he nodded in agreement. Truthfully Itachi had been coming to this particular room to use it as a library of sorts on his days off. Orochimaru as expected didn't leave anything of value behind, but Itachi found some books at least fascinating enough to read. He wondered if she was throwing away any of the ones he actually enjoyed.

"I want to start the treatment now," he announced.

Hisa took to her feet, dusting her jeans in the process. "I still haven't prepared the room, as you can see."

He followed her eyes as they scanned the piles of books on the floor, mountain of scrolls on the patient bed, and cluster of medicine supplies on the open closet. The only thing that looked in order were the rows of medicine bottles.

And even through the clutter and overwhelming mess, he still felt a soothing presence tangled within the walls. It could have been the incense that smelled of lilac...

"Itachi-san?"

He hadn't realized she had continued speaking. "hmm?"

"I said if you don't mind doing it on my bed, we can start now."

He gave a simple nod and she bent down to make use of his time undressing. Two more books were added to the garbage pile while one more was good enough to keep.

He rested on her bed, cloak and shirt neatly folded beside him, leaving only his dark gray pants fastened. Hisa pulled up the old chair next to him and silently began to work, both her hands hovering over his chest, a blue cloud connecting the space. Itachi didn't even move as a rush of cool vapor swept through his chest, and his eyes closed, revealing nothing to the healer. There was no need for her to know that the process felt particularly delightful to a person who had long forgotten what it meant to rest. This time he could repose without the heavy burden of being weary of a total stranger. It was a small step in the eyes of others but the secluded Uchiha wasn't planning on moving any faster.

Hisa found herself busy thinking of what to tackle next on her seemingly endless list of chores. If he wasn't going to talk, at least she could make use of the hours she would be sitting with him.

[6]

Itachi opened his eyes to a startling dark room. He couldn't feel any presence in the room and so the shinobi figured he was very well alone. Carefully he sat up, balancing his groggy body with a hand on the nearest pillow, where he felt a small damp spot.

Had he drooled?

But more importantly, had she put him to sleep?

He didn't feel anything strange in his body, no side effects... Had he really just fallen asleep?

**Authors Note**: Hello darlings! It took a while to get out, but it's pretty long so I guess that makes up for it :)

I made a pretty detailed outline of the next chapter and a certain character is introduced to the joy of at least one of my fans (I'm looking at you Guilty Giggles). I know that this was almost like a filler chapter so I'll try a bit harder to get chapter seven out quick. Nevertheless I would appreciate your reviews :) Speaking of which thank you everyone who read, reviewed and/or added this story to their faves. You guys are awesome!

Til next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**A (Not so)Cordial Guest**

Swiftly the onyx haired Sharingan user rushed upstairs using her distinct chakra signature as a clear map. He found her in the kitchen, staring intently at a plate of salad, her shoulders hunched as if they were weighted down by something heavy. The light had remained off, the exposed windows bathing parts of the large space with rich moonlight. Itachi felt the sudden urge to stand still, a perplexing aura faintly swirling nearby.

Hisa didn't look up immediately, in fact taking longer than even the least trained civilian to acknowledge his presence, but upon realizing she wasn't alone the medic turned to him and smiled.

"Had a good nap?" She queried tiredly.

Even she found it hard to believe but her patient had simply fallen asleep in the middle of therapy. Or more accurately one hourly into the five hours she had worked on healing his damaged lungs.

Itachi wasn't amused, suddenly remembering why he had rushed to find her. "Did you drug me?" He demanded a particular coolness to his words.

"I did not" she answered plainly. "I'm 100% sure you would have noticed if I gave you something to put you to sleep."

And that was that. He had believed her since before even asking the question, and it was hard to admit that the question was merely a way to deflect the fact that he **_really_ **had just fallen asleep.

She pointed to the vibrant plate on the table. "From today on you'll be on a diet, rich in omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium, antioxidants and vitamin C... Amongst other things..." The list was long and she wasn't even done completing it. She wanted to create a healthy diet to aid in the healing process as well as prevent it in the future.

That was much easier said than done.

With a sigh she stood up and took her own plate to the table taking a seat across from him

Itachi's eyes practically bore holes into the medics head as she sat across from him, and Hisa ha a good idea why.

"I used up a large percentage of chakra during the therapy session so I don't have enough for my cloak," she answered his silent question, discreetly taking a brief glance over her shoulder. A human shaped fog lingered just a couple of steps away from the medic, but she was sure Itachi was unaware of the uninvited presence. "There's other ways to keep me alive, that one just so happens to be the most convenient, and I'm guessing you want to do the therapy at night when we have other guests in the house, so I'll have to get used to this method."

Finally his eyes moved to the plate in front of him and with a single nod, her male companion picked up the fork. "Thank you."

He didn't say exactly for what, but Hisa smiled anyways. He was a polite one, she found, even with such a hard and intimidating aura.

The translucent fog behind Hisa faded slowly and she was finally able to join her companion in what could be considered an early dinner. Outside in the quiet terrace, scattering white human shaped clouds smeared the peaceful clearing. Prudently she monitored the numbers, the bit of chakra the healer had on reserve flaring threateningly at the otherworldly visitors. They would be coming, and increase in numbers as long as her cloak remained inactive, hoping that this particular day she would become their pray.

[6]

Her morning alarm had been fatigued muscles due to chakra depletion and the newest Akatsuki member dreaded the trip up the stairs. She had used up all her chakra simply threatening the creatures outside, a feat made more difficult as she tried to stay discreet. Nevertheless her partner could feel the pulsating chakra and even though he remained silent throughout their meal, Itachi couldn't wash the questioning look from his cool features.

Carefully turning the knob, Hisa pushed lightly only to finds herself smack in the middle of a one way brawl. Before she could even analyze the new voices and where they were coming from, the fellow she had met before and remembered as Kisame, greeted her enthusiastically.

"Morning doll face! Don't be shy, come meet the zombie combo!" His gaze was directed at the two spatting figures on the other side of the table who didn't even bother noticing her.

"You look kinda weird there." Kisame pointed out as she hesitantly took the seat next to him.

"These are my home clothes and as for my physical appearance, you'll get used to that." She answered awed struck by the silver haired newcomer with the filthy mouth.

Good God she had never heard so many expletives. His partner remained cool, those green piercing eyes quietly looking beyond the kitchen door.

"Hidan that's enough." And suddenly it all went quiet.

"Ehhh? And who the fuck do you think you are massacre boy to tell me when I'm fucking done," his eyes turned quickly to the person two seats from Itachi. "And who the fuck is this?"

She had been so quiet, why did she have to get caught in the cross fires of this lunatic? "I'm Hisa, the new medic."

The fouled mouthed missing nin wasn't amused, sucking his teeth and muttering something that sounded very close to, "Another fucking idolater to join the rest of you godless dip shits."

Still not sure of what exactly was going on, she turned wide eyed to Kisame who seemed to be the only one enjoying this little show. He had nothing to explain and her attention was snapped back to the loud one, as a finger was tossed in front if her.

"Do your fucking job and fix that that will ya? I'll even save your heathen ass by showing you the ways of Lord Jashin!"

Kisame's amusement was upgraded to snickering while Itachi closed his eyes to the commotion. Two days of peaceful breakfast and then this? Just great.

Tentatively she picked up the finger, and held it up to her eye. It had been cut clean from the base, the dark green nail polish left intact on the nail. Grabbing each end with a hand, she bent it back against the natural shape of the bone, earning a distinct crack that loudly emitted through the crowded kitchen. Swiftly she threw it at the owner.

"I don't think you understood me when I said I'm the new _**medic**, _not your God damned **_maid_**."

Kisame was more than amused, his laughter coming from a deep place in his belly, while Itachi simply... Smirked.

Her heart was two seconds away from forcefully speeding out of control, but damn it she looked brave.

"Oh that's a good one princess," Kisame laughed wiping an invisible tear. "You just got sucker punched by a chic Hidan."

"Shut the fuck up you odd colored freak!" He was under the table, looking for his missing limb.

"Kakuzu get the fuck down here and be fucking useful. I can't do my damn hand seals properly without my fucking fingers!"

That was it for the quiet (and patient looking) partner who had enough of Hidan's loudness for one sitting. Ruggedly the taller man reached under the table, dragging the silver haired missing nin who had found a new string of curse words before being ejected through the partly open door.

There was a moment of silence in the kitchen the loudness outside, taking up all their attention.

"Does anyone want tea?"

The brawny shark man pushed his chair back and stood up. "I gotta referee those two," he announced that perpetual smirk wider than just a minute ago. "Maybe another time." He walked out, a delightful spring in his every step.

"Itachi-san?"

"I made some earlier this morning," he announced. "You're welcome to drink whatever's left in the pot."

Hisa nodded standing up. "So those two?" She asked not sure exactly sure where she was going with that question. There was just too much that happened in those five minutes.

"Kakuzu will not bother you. As for Hidan, he is a nuisance you'll have to get used to on your own time," he replied calmly opening his newspaper. "Second cabinet to the left."

She opened the wooden cabinet and retrieved a plain white mug. "Sounds like fun," she sighed.

[7]

Itachi wasn't going to come down as long as the newcomers were awake and so Hisa found herself back in her room fixing as much as she could. The book shelf was almost complete with the salvaged books as well as her own additions, and she was putting the useless ones in a trash bag, double checking to make sure she wasn't throwing away anything useful.

It was past noon and things upstairs seemed pretty quiet. After finishing with the books she wanted to get some dinner upstairs and hope they could in eat in peace. A turbulent knock startled her, but the medic was soon back to work after asking the person to simply come in. The door was quickly opened then closed, and Hisa looked up.

He smirked and she practically choked. Her bravado was only good when Kisame and Itachi were there!

"So what do we have here eh?"

If she screamed loud enough they would hear her right?

"What do you want?" At least she was good at pretending to be cool.

"That injury smells funny," he spoke bluntly pointing to her bandaged arm, "and no one else seems to notice." Hidan was looking through her book case now. "You can't move your hand that well either." He turned to her, that smirk shattering her last thread of composure. Hisa couldn't look at him. "Which leads me to suspect it's possessed."

Slowly a smirk molded on her rosy lips. "One can see my cloak and another can tell when a body part is possessed. Can a girl have a private life in this organization?"

Hidan stepped away from the book shelf, and threw himself in her bed. "So you're not just another heathen," he laughed finding comfort in the old mattress. "Tell me sweety, what God do you worship?"

"I worship no God," she answered sternly, releasing the bag she had been using to work.

"Oh but that's where you're wrong," he sat up and turned to her. "You see all dark religions have a common ancestry," he explained excitedly. "I don't know who the evil fucker was that gave birth to all of us, but even Jashin-sama worships him. And if I can smell that injury, it means we worship a similar religion. Your rituals are similar to mines, so I can sense the basics of it, but I can't see it."

It was a great contrast to how he was just a couple of hours ago. Sure he still seemed mentally unstable... But he was half right. "I don't worship any God," she tried again. "I don't visit temples, I don't make offerings, I don't pray, I don't worship."

Hidan seemed to be internalizing his enjoyment of the conversation. Either he was really stupid or he wanted to her to say it out loud for who knows what reason. He was right, her arm was possessed and there was only one religion who ended up running these problems.

She was honest when she said she didn't worship, but being that her powers were so similar, she had accepted the title a long time ago. After all it was basically the same thing, she just had a natural talent.

"A Necromancer that worships no God, well now that's hard to believe." That know it all smirk was disturbing, as was his presence. So he knew all along?

"Yes, I worship no God." Hisa ignored his insatiable laughter, and now more then ever she wished he would go back to the tone of voice he had been using earlier. Condescending but low.

"Ha! You're not really good at hiding this personal life you worry about so much. "

"It's not like I fucking planned to run into a Jashinist here," she snapped. While her sorcery wasn't much of an issue around a group of criminals, it was the reason she had these abilities that could spell trouble. And she had a feeling that loud mouthed asshole knew exactly what she was.

"You're a Cursed Child ain't cha?"

Her throat closed up, a dry ball suddenly making it hard to swallow. She hadn't heard those words in such a long time. "Don't worry though," he stood up dusting his cloak. "You're like a priestess of darkness and Lord Jashin calls us to respect your kind."

Deliberately he walked up to her thin fingers cupping her chin. "It's good to have a fellow worshiper." His warm fingers were quickly retrieved and he strode out a maniacal (or could she just consider that his normal laugh) echoing through large basement.

Hisa sighed picking up the bag and throwing a book inside. A Jashinist to deal with now?

**Authors Note**: Say hello to Hidan guys! I hope you all joyed his very Hidan-esque introduction and pardon the vocabulary, but _**it is**_ Hidan. I thought it would be awesome for him to be the one to kinda of introduce Hisa's secret if you will, kind of taking advantage of his awesome and very intriguing religion.

If you have any questions please include it in your review and I will definitely get back to you :) And even if you don't have a question please review!

Thank you to those who read, reviewed and/or added this to their fave!

Til next time dolls!


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